UPDATE: Fire now estimated to be 1,500 hectares

5:30 p.m. update: The 103 area has now been added to the areas under evacuation, according to the CRD. See more here.

3:05 p.m. update: The BC Wildfire service now has the fire listed at 1,500 hectares but notes that estimating the exact size is difficult due to the smoke.

This fire is expected to grow substantially in the next hours and the amount of growth is dependent on weather and wind conditions.

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UPDATE: An evacuation has been ordered for 108 Mile and 105 Mile west of Hwy 97. See more here.

The wildfire west of 100 Mile House has grown to 1,230 hectares in size, prompting an evacuation alert for 1,800 homes in the area.

As crews continue to battle the blaze that broke out Thursday, 33 properties have already been evacuated, according to the Cariboo Regional District.

The evacuation alert order is being put in place for properties north and east of the fire in the communities of 108 and 105 Mile, west of Highway 97. The alert also includes all properties in the vicinity of Lilypad Lake that were not included in the previous evacuation order.

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The alert is being issued as a precaution at this time, to give residents an opportunity to consider what preparations they need to make now if there is a change in the fire boundaries later. Residents should be prepared to take important papers and documents such as insurance. Pets need to be evacuated with their owners.

For checklists and other important information on preparing for Alerts and Evacuations please refer to the CRD Emergency Operations Facebook page and CRD website.

There is a bar on the top of the page which will take you to the latest updates on Evacuation Orders and Alerts People can also call the CRD EOC information line at 250-398-5117. All animals are considered pets unless they are actually part of a livestock operation. If you own livestock and need assistance please call the EOC Info Line.

fire remains ‘out of control’

The fire is labelled as out of control meaning it is not responding or only responding on a limited basis to suppression such as that the perimeter spread is not being contained.

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“Crews and heavy equipment worked through the night to build containment lines along the east side of the fire, sort of from the 1100 road to the Helena [Lake] Road,” according to Natasha Broznitsky, Information Officer with the Cariboo Fire Centre, adding that those are being reinforced by ground and air.

She adds that the fire is labelled as zero per cent contained that they are not confident suppression/containment lines will hold.

According to Broznitsky, 120 firefighters are on site today with a 25 people incident management team, four helicopters a number of air tankers and 15 pieces of heavy equipment.

The 108 golf tournament scheduled for this weekend has not been cancelled.

If you’ve been evacuated and want to talk to the Free Press, or have photos or video you’d like to contribute, please email newsroom@100milefreepress.net.

100 Mile Fire Rescue is attending a wildfire that has broken out west of town. Max Winkelman photos.